


Sake at Sunset

by Kadtie



Category: Mushishi
Genre: Coming Out, F/M, M/M, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 03:53:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13966785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kadtie/pseuds/Kadtie
Summary: Adashino wants more than friendship with Ginko, but Ginko made a promise with Tanyuu.Adashino and Ginko share some sake and watch the sunset. Adashino gets a little too drunk and says a little too much.A coming out story of sorts.T for some languageOneshot





	Sake at Sunset

**Author's Note:**

> I litterelly wrote the first half of this on a scrap of paper at work and on the bus home. I had to get it out of my head, and here we are. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Adashino and Ginko were lounging on the Doctor’s porch watching the summer sun reflecting off the distant ocean. The sound of buzzing insects and the far off crashing of waves on the beach filled their ears. A light and slightly salty late afternoon breeze ruffled their hair and tugged softly at their clothes. The smoke of Ginko's tobacco drifted lazily away with the wind. Empty tea cups sat off to one side, having been replaced with a large jug of sake, which was already half gone.  
  
Adashino observed Ginko from the corner of his eye and silently admired the casual way he held his cigarette with his arm resting lackadaisically on one knee, the way the sun glistened off his fine white hair, and the sparkle in his half-lidded green eye. But he made sure to direct his attention subtly back to the distant sea before Ginko could notice him staring. There was no need to let him find out…  
  
Anyone who saw his collection of oddities could tell that Adashino had a taste for the exotic. One look at Ginko with his pale complexion, white hair, and vivid green eye had caught his attention right from the beginning. What had started out as a simple interest had soon evolved into fondness, and eventually, after they had gotten to know one another, something more. Something deeper.  
  
Something more painful.  
  
Adashino took another sip of sake to distract himself from his musings, but soon found himself glancing at his friend-who-he-wished-could-be-more-than-a-friend again and wondering if there was anyone out there who the Mushishi cared for as deeply as he did for him. Was there anyone other than Adashino who's porch he returned to for tea and sake and to stare out at the horizon in comfortable silence  
  
Was here anyone out there who he thought of as more than a friend?  
  
The thought made a knot form in his chest. He took another drink or clear it.  
  
“Ne, Ginko,” Adashino was surprised by his own voice. Too much sake.  
  
Ginko didn’t move, but his eye slid lazily from the ocean to focus on Adashino. “Hnn…?” There was a slight flush in his pale cheeks from the alcohol and his eye was still half closed.  
  
Adashino swallowed. Why did that man have to be so damn attractive? “Do you ever wish there was someone you could always be with?” Definitely too much sake. Ah well, he'd said this much. “Someone special I mean.”  
  
Ginko's gaze returned to the horizon as he took a long drag on his cigarette and blew it out slowly.  
  
“Sometimes.”  
  
Adashino looked away from Ginko so he wouldn’t lose his sake-given nerve. “Anyone in particular?” He snuck a glance back over, but Ginko’s eye remained fixed on something in the distance. Probably a mushi that Adashino couldn’t see.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
There was a pause. The knot in Adashino's chest tightened again. He turned and looked at Ginko fully. “Anyone I would know?” He forced his voice to remain nonchalant. The alcohol helped.  
  
Ginko smiled that (damn sexy) half smile, cigarette hanging from one side of his mouth, eye still focused in the distance. “Remember Tanyuu? I know I’ve told you about her.”  
  
“The one with the mushi sealed in her leg?” Genuine interest laced Adashino's voice at the mention of a rare mushi-related topic. “But I thought she couldn’t walk.”  
  
“Hn.” He released another drifting stream of smoke.  
  
“How would that work then?” Adashino shifted to a more comfortable position and refilled both of their glasses. “With your whole mushi attracting problem and all.”  
  
Ginko’s smile took on a more melancholy slant as he glanced at Adashino. “We made a promise to each other. If I’m still alive when she finishes purging the mushi from her body we will travel together.”  
  
“Haa…” Adashino looked back out to sea. The tightness in his chest hadn’t faded with his last drink. If anything it was getting worse; rising into his throat and making him feel like he needed another drink, which he took. “Sounds like the makings of an epic tragedy. Star crossed lovers who can never be together. One unable to travel and the other cursed to travel perpetually.” He smirked humorlessly at Ginko. “People could write poetry about you.” Adashino certainly could.  
  
“Shut up you.” Ginko took another drink of sake. It was difficult to tell if the color in his cheeks was from the alcohol or embarrassment.  
  
They were both silent for a moment as Ginko’s smoke drifted languidly away. His cigarette was getting close to its end.  
  
“What about you.” Ginko didn’t look away from the water. “Do you have anyone special?”  
  
Adashino raised his glass to his lips but didn’t take a drink, eyes focused resolutely on the horizon. “You could say that.” His face felt hot. He blamed it on the alcohol. “But he's in love with someone else.”  
  
Ginko’s gaze cut sharply to Adashino and his eye widened in surprise. “He?”  
  
Adashino nodded, cheeks flaming, then knocked back his drink and poured himself another. He knew he'd probably already had too much, but he didn’t care at this point; he needed another drink.  
  
“Haaaa…” Ginko leaned back on his arms and looked up to the sky.  
  
Adashino risked a glance at the Mushishi. “Does that bother you?”  
  
“No.” There was no hesitation in Ginko’s voice. “I’m just surprised is all.” His trademark smirk returned as he turned back to his friend. “ I just always pictured you as a lecherous womanizer.”  
  
“Tch. Bastard.” Adashino looked away in mock anger, but couldn’t disguise the relief at Ginko’s easy acceptance of him. The tight feeling in his chest eased a little and he sipped some more sake.  
  
Ginko snubbed out his cigarette and the two of them lapsed back into their comfortable silence.  
  
The sun was starting to set. The sky was taking on a pinkish hue. Adashino was surprised to see the sake was completely gone. Had Ginko drank it? Or did he? He couldn’t remember.  
  
“Good luck.”  
  
“Huh?” Adashino hadn’t noticed that Ginko was looking at him. His mind felt muddled with alcohol.  
  
“With your guy. Good luck. I hope he eventually sees how good of a catch you are.” He spoke remarkably clearly considering they’d drank the whole bottle of sake. His eye sparkled with sincerity.  
  
Adashino scoffed at the irony. Ginko thought he was a catch?  
  
The doctor broke eye contact first. “Thanks,” His heart was beating heavily in his chest, “But that’s unlikely. The person he's in love with is a woman.” He removed his monocle and rubbed his face with his hand.  
  
Ginko’s (sexy-ass) smirk slid back onto his face, a little more slanted than usual because of the sake and Adashino had to force himself not to stare at that mouth. “You know some people are interested in both. I wouldn’t say he's hopeless.”  
  
“Well yeah… but how many people like that do you know?” He didn’t want to get his hopes up just to have his heart broken even more than it already was.  
  
“Several.”  
  
“Really?” Adashino looked skeptical. His hopes were still safely level.  
  
“Really.”  
  
Adashino huffed and lay back on his porch, carelessly thunking his monocle somewhere off to his side. His world was spinning. “Well maybe you should bring one in your box of mysteries next time.” His blush hadn’t faded. He hoped Ginko blamed it on the sake.  
  
Ginko who had called him a catch.  
  
He swallowed and forced his hopes to remain where they belonged.  
  
Ginko was still smirking. “I bring one every time I visit.”  
  
Adashino’s heart skipped. His eyes widened and he gaped openly at his friend. “You…?” The hope in his heart twitched.  
  
Ginko inclined his head, eye glittering with amusement.  
  
Damn.  
  
The hope had just fluttered up into the sky like a bird, far out of Adashino’s reach.  
  
Adashino dropped his gaze. “Well then I guess there's some hope for you after all.” He looked at Ginko sidelong, still lying on his back, the world spinning dizzily around him. Had he said that out loud? Shit.  
  
Ginko’s pupil dilated slowly, then contracted and his jaw went slack.  
  
“Oh.” He covered his mouth and looked away. The sun was almost set.  
  
“Oh.” Adashino confirmed and covered his eyes with his arm. He was so drunk.  
  
The sun was set, but the sky was still on fire when Adashino slipped into drunken unconsciousness.  
  
\---------------  
  
He awoke late the next morning on his futon and found his monocle set neatly on top of a slip of paper.  
  
Ginko was nowhere to be found.  
  
He swore and rubbed at his throbbing temples. How much did he drink? Had Ginko even had any of it?  
  
Settling the monocle into place he picked up the slip of paper which he now saw was a note from Ginko.  
  
"We will talk about it next time.  
  
Ginko  
  
P.S. Lightweight."  
  
“Who's a lightweight? Smug Bastard. Talk about… what…?” It took Adashino a minute to remember. His head was pounding. He got up to get some tea started when the memories came rushing at him and he froze in his tracks.  
  
He'd basically confessed his feelings to Ginko.  
  
Ginko knew how he felt about him.  
  
Ginko was bi.  
  
We will talk about it next time.  
  
“…Shit.”

  


**Author's Note:**

> Ginko is my anime husband. I love him.


End file.
